Health = wealth?
Why freelancers' health can feel precarious
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Morning, Colleague
I think it’s fair to say that the last couple of years have highlighted how frighteningly mortal we all are. Personally, I’ve had a couple of on-going health issues over the past few months that have meant spending more time being prodded and probed than anyone should endure (unless that’s your jam. This is a judgement-free space.)
It’s been making me reflect about illness/wellness, and the assumptions I’ve made about having good health over the years. I remember, about a decade ago when I worked at a magazine, we had to do an exercise for my manager, choosing words from a list to express our values. Mine, I realised with some shame, were quite different to everyone else’s: ambition, leadership, recognition…that sort of stuff. Honestly, it was like I’d swallowed a copy of Lean In. (It’s a wonder I had any friends in the office).
I felt so sheepish seeing others choosing ‘health’ or ‘family’. Part of that, I realise now, was down to my age. But my manager, seeing my embarrassment, gently pointed out that she’d recently lost a family member, which had changed her priorities, and I shouldn’t feel bad for being in a different headspace to her.
I thought that was kind of her, as well as wise. We don’t tend to think much about things until they affect us, or someone close to us. Worrying too much about everything and everyone, while well-meaning, is somewhat paralysing, so we focus on what’s in front of us. (And then there’s that strange effect that, once ‘awakened’ to an issue, you realise it’s everywhere.) When my mum was very ill with cancer a few years ago it changed that part of me forever — I would never choose the same words on the board if I had to do that exercise now.
It’s easy to be told that ‘health is the most important thing’, but it’s complicated living in a capitalist society where your health is also tied up in your work. The phrase ‘health = wealth’ is an interesting one, because obviously it’s designed to mean that being healthy is more meaningful than making money. This is, of course, true. But it’s also true that it’s often hard to achieve good health without some degree of wealth to cushion you.
Your health is connected to your earnings, and how much time you can afford to take off, as well as your stress levels. If you feel like you’re failing at work because you’re sick (perhaps, for example, long covid has given you a physical and mental knock), or are unable to focus because you’re worried about your health, it can easily become a vicious circle.
Being self-employed in times of illness is a curse as often as a blessing. Perhaps we can be more flexible in terms of hours, or arranging GP or hospital appointments, but there’s no one picking up our slack, and not a lot of sick pay on offer (and that’s without the fear that our clients will start to look elsewhere if we turn down work).
We know, when we’re under the weather for whatever reason, that the answer is more rest and less stress, but so often these are factors that feel out of our control. Not to mention the freelancer guilt I’ve talked about previously, which often means ‘rest’ is anything but restful…
I’m not entirely sure where I’m going with this. I don’t really have any advice —platitudes such as ‘take what you need’ can’t always be applied when you’re worried about being sick, or sick with worry. All I really want to say is that: if you’re struggling to balance your health with your work right now, you’re not alone. Just hit reply if you need to talk.
Inspired by fellow journalist Nicci Talbot (whose newsletter The Shift is absolutely brilliant), I’ve decided to help offset the carbon emissions generated by running this newsletter by donating each month to Ecologi, a company that plants trees around the world. If you’d like to sign up too, I have a special link that means we both get some bonus trees (Not an advert, I just rate their work).
The next monthly accountability chat is on Friday 27th at 11am, and all readers are welcome to try their first one for free. It’s a safe space to talk about the weird world of being your own boss, as well as an opportunity to set some goals for September (!! Can you believe how far through the year we are?)